Yoga for Fibromyalgia pain relief

A team from Oregon Health & Science University have investigated the effects of yoga on individuals suffering with Fibromyalgia (FM), a disorder which causes musculoskeletal pain and fatigue, currently effecting around two million adults in the UK.

Because 80 per cent of FM patients are women, the scientists conducted an all women study which involved 25 individuals participating in a Yoga Awareness program and 28 receiving standard care.

The yoga programme was tailored to address pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance and emotional distress and the classes all involved gentle stretches, mindfulness and breathing techniques.

Post treatment both groups participated in physical tests in order to assess their symptoms and researchers found that the yoga group had exhibited far greater improvements in their symptoms and general mood.

‘The findings of this pilot study provide promising preliminary support for the beneficial effects of yoga in patients with FM.’ Said Dr James Carson.

He added: ‘The results suggested the yoga intervention led to a beneficial shift in how patients cope with pain, including greater use of adaptive pain coping strategies such as positive reappraisal.’